UX POV : Why People is Reluctant on Accepting SimplyGo
Introduction
As from 1st June 2024, EZ-link card System will be replace by SimplyGo System[1]. While we should embrace technology and how technology suppose to provide more convenience, the replacement of new system is not well received by people.
Updated 22 January 2024: There seems to be a change in the decision making on replacing older system. For more information, you can read on the following news:
From a user experience perspective, i will be listing:
- Why people still using EZ-link card or SimplyGo EZ-link card?
- Issue
- Improvement
- Future of SimplyGo
Why people still using EZ-link card or SimplyGo EZ-link card?
While there is many cards (debit, credit cards) that have EZ-link/SimplyGo EZ-link card function, there is still reasons of having a card that solely for transportation. The reasons are as of the following:
- Keep track of transportation expense
- Nice to have backup plan
- No need to panic in case it lost/stolen
Issue
There are many pain points on embracing SimplyGo System. The most common pain points are:
- Downloading SimplyGo app
- Unable to Display Card Balance on Gantry
- No one size fit all card
- Minor Pain Points
1. Downloading SimplyGo app
In a world of technology, where there is an app for almost in every categories such as social media, banking, travel, gaming etc.
A statistics in 2019 shows that in US, on average, a person has more than 80 apps installed on their phone. However, an average person uses 9 apps on a daily basis and 30 apps on a monthly basis[2].
As time passes and more other apps being installed in our phone, this result in app overloading and making it harder to keep tracks of all the apps downloaded.
Is SimplyGo app necessary ?
SimplyGo app is neither essential nor popularity mobile app, hence it does not make sense to download another app which mainly to transit ticketing needs and card-related services.
2. Unable to Display Card Balance on Gantry
The replacement to a new system would indicate that gantry would not be able to display card balance.
While Land Transport Authority (LTA) mentioned to Channel NewsAsia that it is “technically possible”. However, displaying card information will slow down the movement of entering/exiting gantry which lead to longer queue[3].
The purpose of displaying card information is so that commuters could be informed and make aware of. For this case, having card information being display helps inform commuters and aware of the card balance.
Without displaying card information, the commuters may encountered:
- Unable to enter gantry due to low card balance
- Unable to validate the status of concession
- Constantly checking card balance via ticketing machine
Note: The above point made an assumption that commuters does not have SimplyGo app
This would result in :
- Commuters’ frustration in doing last minute top up card value
- May slow down queue to gantry entry
- Long queue at ticketing machine to:
👎 Check card balance
👎 Check concession validity
👎 Top up card value
Note: The above point made an assumption that commuters does not have SimplyGo app
Rather than relying app (which requires to download) to check on card balance, having additional method such as display card balance at gantry allow commuters to be well aware of the card balance/status result in making better decision.
In additional, the gantry (regardless MRT or bus far readers) have a display screen as shown below:
If the display screen no longer show card information, the purpose of having display screen seems insignificant.
Is displaying card type necessary ?
Currently, the gantry screen will display the following information:
At the moment, is unclear the usefulness of displaying card type on gantry and how this information is useful to commuters to make better decision making.
3. No one size fit all card
Most cards are getting more integrated and giving more options to users by just using one card.
For example, a bank card is not longer just a bank card but it could use as:
- Contactless payment (payWave)
- Partner with other merchants in earning rewards
- EZ-link card or SimplyGo EZ-link card
While cards are getting more integrated by technology, the new migration to a system indicate that currently, there is no existing card that would fit all criteria.
The following is taken from The Straits Times show the card type and which card is able to be used for payment [7]:
As you can see, regardless of upgrading/ not upgrading card, there is lack of a card that fits all 3 aspects payments (Public transport, Retail, Monitoring).
4. Minor Pain Points
There are minor pain points of the following:
- Bug missing MRT line icon (App Version 8.1.3)
- Elderly may not know how to use the app
A research was conducted by SMU on successful ageing. Based on survey data in 2022, out of 6,548 people aged between 57 to 76, 92.03% owns a smartphone. The usage of the smartphone for them are mainly for entertainment purpose and only a small percentage (10.49%) uses for functional purpose such as accessing banking app[8]. Hence, this makes is harder for elderly to use this app.
Improvement
Improvement of the app
1.Improve workflow to enter card information
At the moment (App Version 8.1.3), there is two ways on entering card details:
- Scan card details via enabling NFC
2. Manually enter card details
The two user flows although achieve same end result of adding card information, it seems to be inconsistent and confusing. Hence, it will be good to consolidate these two user flows as one to avoid confusion.
Alternative method for user registration
Currently, the app (App Version 8.1.3) requires user to register an account. The registration page would requires user to input their personal information along with password.
It will be good if registration can be done without password for example registering account via mobile phone (which is unique) followed by OTP for verification purpose.
Level of security measure
At the moment (App Version 8.1.3), the app does not provide:
- Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
- Single session per account
- Notify security alert of new login to your account
This would mean multiple access is possible via various devices as long as credentials are provided correct.
Hence, it will be good to relook in the security measure on how strict / lenient it should take for the app.
Improvement of the system
Alternative way to display card balance
It will be good to provide another alternative way to display card balance without the need of downloading an app.
Future of SimplyGo
As there is still a few months from now before the replacement of new system, there may be upgrade to improve the new system before it really implemented.
In the meantime, it will be good in the future to have:
- Allow SimplyGo EZ-link card card to be added into digital wallet
Other countries such as Japan and Hong Kong allow transportation card to be added into digital wallet (Apple Wallet). Hence it will be good to have Singapore transportation card to be added into digital wallet. - Providing a card that could fit all 3 aspects (Public transport, Retail, Monitoring)
Upgrade/replacing monitoring system to match SimplyGo system in the future.
Author’s Note
Since the new being announced on 9 January 2024 , there has been alot of buzz for this issue and some mentioned : “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
I believe that rather than “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” we should maintain/upgrade before it starts to break. Technology is constantly improving and we do need to make an effort in changing.
However, there is also the need to make effort to understand user’s aspect and if is affecting in a good/ bad way. What do you think of this replacement of the system ?
Updated 22 January 2024: With the recent news of reverting decision, unfortunately, implying that this project lack of research planning before implement this system. SimplyGo was launched in 2019 with the objective to integrate service in 2024 [9].
However, with the reverting of decision, the cost of continuing using the old system is 40 millions. This is exclude on project phase between 2019 and 2024.
Unfortunately, in my humble opinion, this seems a high cost of miscalculation in the project.
